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Newborn to 6 months

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Newborn to 6 months

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6 to 12 months

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Prenatal to Newborn

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6 to 12 months

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2 - 12 months

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Jo's top tips for settling your baby (2-12 months)
Download Jo and Daddy Pig's Bath, Book, Bed booklet Sign up to Bath, Book, Bed emails Read this page in Welsh
Your baby may start sleeping through the night sometime during this period. This will happen when they start eating solids - most likely around 4-6 months onwards. Or, at least, they'll certainly be sleeping for longer periods and waking less in the night. Here are some tips that will show you how to get your baby to sleep:

Shut the blinds or curtains like you would at night time.

Put them in loose attire so they are comfortable to sleep.

Make sure they have their familiar blankies and cuddly companion they are used to when sleeping.

Bath

A good bedtime routine consists of regular and calming activities for your baby. Babies may find baths very relaxing and this can help your child before you put them to bed.

Before you bathe your baby you could place a scented candle in the bathroom so the calming scents are present during their bath. Remove the candle before bathtime and place your child's bedclothes on a warm radiator, if it's cold. Your baby will be nice and snuggly once they're dressed for bed.

Singing rhymes and lullabies with your baby in the bath will help too. Hearing rhyming words will help them later when they learn to read. Favourites like 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star' will soothe your baby ahead of bed.

Once you've finished in the bath gently dry your baby and rub their skin in a soothing, calming rhythm with some moisturising cream or natural oil.

Book

As part of a bedtime routine your baby will love to cuddle and hear your voice. They will know that it's time to wind down ready for sleep.

Bright and touchy-feely books with different feels and colours work well. At this stage babies enjoy playing with their books - encourage them to touch the book as you read.

Follow on from rhymes in the bath by choosing books with rhythm and repetition. Say the words a little more slowly than you usually talk to help your baby hear the sounds you're making.

We have some perfect choices in our Best Bedtime Books list. Or read your baby's favourite books over and over again. Try to use funny voices and make silly noises.

Bed

Put your baby to bed at the same time every night. You should do this even if you know they're going to get up in the night. You're setting a routine that will help make regular bedtimes easier for yourself in the future.

Make sure your little ones are getting enough fresh air each day. A trip to the shops or the library is easy to fit into the day's routine.

Think about exercise too - is your baby sitting in a chair all day? Try to make sure they get lots of mat time/crawling time - or even soft play once they're a bit older. It'll tire them out and it's also really important for their development.

Daytime sleep is also important. Ironically, children who are overtired often find it hard to sleep well at night. Daytime naps will help a lot - if they're well rested, they won't be super charged with adrenaline. Bedtime should become much easier for everyone.
Jo Frost picks her favourite bedtime books Win the ultimate Peppa Pig Bath, Book, Bed bundle

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Download Jo and Daddy Pig's Bath, Book, Bed booklet Sign up to Bath, Book, Bed emails Read this page in Welsh Your baby may start sleeping through the night sometime during this period. This will happen when they start eating solids - most likely around 4-6 months onwards.

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Newborn- 2 months

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Jo's top tips for settling your newborn (0-2 months)
Download Jo and Daddy Pig's Bath, Book, Bed booklet Sign up to Bath, Book, Bed emails Read this page in Welsh
Newborn babies need feeding so regularly that they're unlikely to sleep for longer than 3-4 hours at a time between feeds, and frequently less.

Your time at this early stage will be pretty much taken up with feeding and winding your baby and settlng them to sleep, and then trying to get some sleep yourself.

Don't put any pressure on yourself to do things a particular way. People around you may have lots of theories about what you should be doing - but the main thing to do is get as much rest as you can, give your baby lots of cuddles, and do whatever your baby needs for now.

Bath

Until the umbilical cord dries up, give your baby a once-over with a warm sponge or cloth. Make sure the bathroom is warm, and that there aren't any draughts or fans on them. Remove jewellery to avoid scratching your baby.

Wash your baby in two stages: first their body and then their head. Wash their head last because it loses the most heat. Wipe them clean with a warm flannel and pat dry.

When it's time for a real bath, warm the bathroom and fill the baby bath with a couple of inches of warm water. Test with your elbow.

Hold your baby over the bath, supporting their neck with the thumb and index finger of one hand. With the other hand, wash their head with mild unscented liquid baby soap. Then place them in the bath, supporting their neck with your forearm, and cradle their body.

Book

Babies love books. You can absolutely read to your newborn baby, even though they're too little to understand what you're saying. The experience of snuggling up and listening to your voice can help a baby relax. And it's great for bonding between the both of you.

Try black and white books with bold images as your baby will be able to pick these out better. BookTrust gives these out, as well as Bookstart Baby packs with free books; remember to pick one up from your health visitor, library or children's centre. And try soft books that your baby can touch and play with. You can also check out BookTrust's Best Bedtime Books list.

Bed

You could swaddle your baby - your health visitor or midwife should be able to show you how or follow guidance for correct and safe swaddling. Swaddling makes your baby feel secure and cosy. They're less likely to wake themselves up with involuntary movements.

Settling down a sleeping baby

When your baby falls asleep in your arms and you want to set them down without waking them up, move slowly. Gently lay their head down. Then put the rest of their body down so they're on their back with your hands still under them.

You should always put them to sleep on their back to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome - SIDS.

Place your baby with their feet at the bottom end of the cot to prevent them wriggling under the covers and secure the covers only to waist height. Make sure the room your baby's sleeping in isn't too hot or cold. A perfect temperature is around 18-19 degrees centigrade.
Authors choose their favourite bedtime books Jo Frost: Why your bedtime routine is just as important as your children's Win the ultimate Peppa Pig Bath, Book, Bed bundle

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Download Jo and Daddy Pig's Bath, Book, Bed booklet Sign up to Bath, Book, Bed emails Read this page in Welsh Newborn babies need feeding so regularly that they're unlikely to sleep for longer than 3-4 hours at a time between feeds, and frequently less.

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Useful information for parents